Weekly Update #123

Cool kids forget to do these until the very last minute.

For those of you who might not have read last week's weekly update, basically, I'm having a fuck ton of difficulty writing TQH and CORE. I won't repeat what I already said last week  (typing this after I typed the rest of the update - well, that was a lie) since I went pretty in-depth with my feelings about them there, but yeah. I just don't know what I'm doing with them nor do I know what I should do with them moving forward. I can't say whether there will be any chapters for them this upcoming week, either. I tried writing them on Friday and Saturday, but there was just zero inspiration/ideas. I managed to write 500 words of CORE and that was it. I can't even think of how to start the next TQH chapter and I don't even have any ideas for something I could write later in the chapter to lead into, such as writing the second half of the chapter before writing the first half.

At least with TQH, I was starting to really struggle before introducing the latest girl, and then I was having a bunch of fun with it again since I had been waiting to introduce her basically since starting the series. But then as soon as I wrapped up her whole introduction, I'm just completely lost. I have enough future ideas to last like 8+ more volumes, but I have no idea how to actually get to any of that, and I've realized that I basically already took the story in a direction that I don't like. I basically feel like I've done to TQH what I did to the original EDE. The original EDE was popular and still had people invested in the story, but I just wasn't happy with it at all and I began to dread writing it, which is how I feel with TQH now.

I think a major problem with it might be how I'm telling the story. At least, to me, it doesn't feel like an Ace story. Maybe it does to some people, but I feel like what I've been trying to do with the story just doesn't work with my style at all. It ended up being way darker than I ever intended it to be, for one.

At least it didn't go as dark as ASV did, for anybody who remembers that old thing.

I don't know what my solution is right now. I definitely don't want to outright drop it, but rebooting it is an option that I'm considering. I'd want to reboot it in a similar way that I did with EDE -> EDO where I brought it more in line with my style and raised the quality overall, but I wouldn't make it into an MMO story. I still want to write it in a fantasy setting that isn't just some MMO. Probably make it a bit more lighthearted while still having actual plot problems that need dealt with, but maybe in a less serious manner. I'm not sure.

As for CORE, I can't even imagine rebooting the story in a way that I would be happy with. However, one thing I do know is that it helped me develop a sort of sub-style to my main one. I really, really do like the sort of autobiographical narrator thing I had going on with it. I've already written a bit of a another story a few months ago where I felt like I had that style even more refined, and I had a ton of fun with it. So, no matter what ends up happening with CORE, I think that I still want to do something with a similar narration style since I really enjoy it.

That  aside, considering that both stories have had drastic drops in viewers and have been bleeding followers as well as been unable to bring in any new patrons, I figure that I'm not alone in believing that both of these stories have seriously gone downhill in quality.

I'll hopefully have some news about what I'm going to do with these two stories later this week. For now, don't expect a TQH nor CORE chapter this week either. TTE, EDO, and LDQ will be out like usual.

And now for memes 'nd things:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqu26O83i_8&feature=youtu.be&t=5

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlJdmeuDWis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHaLDeeV454&feature=youtu.be

Weekly Worksheet: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HQQu3y4nAV4jKC_47beJP12linej5a4x/view?usp=sharing

11,702 words and 14 hours. Geez, I wonder why they're so small this week. Seriously though, not pictured in these numbers are the many hours spent wanting to pull my hair out - or rather, my beard out, because I had no idea what the fuck to write nor do. I would have felt dirty actually including my hours of existential dread when I didn't get any writing done, though, so I didn't include them.

The True Endgame

The lewd stuff has finally been wrapped up, and there was a ton of it, so don't expect any more detailed lewds for a while. Now, we're going to wrap up this volume, and then we're going back into the game where I'm really excited for the upcoming plots. There is more drama, more action, and more fishing in TTE's near future. We're also going to get some good ol' in-game MMO politics going on, so that should be really fun to write.

Ero Dungeon Online

I have no idea how people will feel about a certain thing coming up that was hinted at in the latest chapter, but I'm hoping that the reception is going to be positive. I also hinted at a good few other things to set up some plots in these latest chapters that I'm wondering whether people have picked up on them or not. All I can say is that there are quite a few things to be revealed coming up!

Lazy Dragon Queen

And so, the second volume is finally, finally, reaching its end before we move onto the third volume. It took a long time and there are probably 2-3 more chapters left in this volume, but I think they should be a ton of fun for me to write and hopefully for everybody to read! We're finally going to get some more of the cat queen, and she'll be much more present in upcoming chapters. Of course, the next volume means that another queen will be introduced for our hero to conquer. Or for our villain to dominate, if Window has any say in what sort of character Drake is.

Teaser

Thanks to ErosPanda for more art!

Reading Report

Unfortunately, I didn't get any reading done this week. All the time where I wanted to read was instead spent dreading that I should be writing instead, and then playing ARK to spare my mind of getting overwhelmed and burnt out. I'll do my best to read this week, though!

In Closing

Blagh. I've said enough this week, I think.

If you're still thinking about what's going to happen with CORE and TQH and you've made it this far, honestly, I'd say the chances of TQH continuing in some form (whether it be a reboot, rewrite, or something else) is about 50%. The chances of CORE continuing in any form are at a much lower 20%, but the spirit and style of CORE have a 70% chance of being adapted into something else.

Thank you for your continued support. I fully understand if people decide to unpledge because of the uncertainty with TQH and CORE, and I still appreciate all the support you've given me even if you do unpledge. For now, I hope that you've all had a nice week and that you have another nice one this week.

Thank you again, and please look forward to TTE, EDO, and LDQ this week! The TTE chapter might be a bit less exciting than the others since it's going to be wrapping up this volume, but depending on whether or not I make the ending into two chapters or a single one... it might end up being a pretty great chapter, imo. I'm just super hyped for the ending of this volume and have basically been dreaming about it for months and months.

Anyways, I'm done now. Thank you again and goodnight!